The subject invention relates to method for monitoring for the presence of termites and exterminating termites once their presence is detected and to a termite-monitoring device especially adapted for use in the method of the subject invention as well as other methods.
Termites do more property damage in the United States than hurricanes, earthquakes and vandalism combined. In order to control termites with a toxicant (hereinafter “termiticide”), termites must come in contact with the termiticide. Termites ingress and egress a food source through underground and above ground tunnel tubes which extend between a colony nest and the food source, e.g. a building. These tunnel tubes are climate controlled and impervious to termiticides sprayed on the soil and, for as long as the termites remain sealed within their tunnel tubes, the termites are protected from contact with the termiticides sprayed on the soil.
While many methods have been used to exterminate termites, a need has remained to provide a method for exterminating termites and termite colonies: that is inexpensive, highly effective, and easy to monitor; that does not require the use of a termite-monitoring device that includes a toxic termite food source prior to the detection of termites; that permits the detection of termite activity with little or no disturbance of the termites; that gives the service technician the flexibility of treating the termites feeding on a termite food source within a termite-monitoring device with a termiticide with or without contaminating the termite food source within the termite-monitoring device; and that, preferably, utilizes a termiticide which is non-repellent to termites and lethal to termites through matrix contact as well as ingestion and/or transferal.